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S. 5438

BillFederalSenateIntroduced
A bill to ratify and approve all authorizations, permits, verifications, extensions, biological opinions, incidental take statements, and any other approvals or orders issued pursuant to Federal law necessary for the establishment and administration of the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Introduced
Latest Action · September 17, 2026
Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
Introduced
September 17, 2026
Cosponsors (0)
None
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Summary

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The Alaska's Right to Produce Act 2.0 aims to lock in and protect oil and gas development in the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, an area Congress opened for leasing in 2017. The bill retroactively approves all federal permits, environmental reviews, and other approvals issued for the leasing program, declaring them legally sufficient under major environmental laws like the Endangered Species Act and National Environmental Policy Act. It blocks the President or Interior Secretary from imposing any leasing moratorium and restricts courts from reviewing most agency decisions related to these approvals, except through a narrow petition process available to lease holders and exclusive jurisdiction granted to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals for constitutional challenges. The bill also prevents the government from canceling already-issued leases except for uncured violations, requires new unit agreement regulations within one year to govern shared drilling operations, and gives the Interior Secretary authority to waive royalties or suspend lease terms to encourage development. Finally, it blocks enforcement of a 2024 Bureau of Land Management rule that had added environmental protections to the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, reinforcing a more development-friendly regulatory approach. The legislation primarily affects oil and gas companies operating in Alaska, Alaska Native corporations, the State of Alaska, and federal regulatory agencies overseeing energy development and environmental protection.

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